In a game-changing move in 2016, Tesla CEO, Elon Musk sent shockwaves through the car industry. With a bold proclamation, he declared that every vehicle his company produced would come equipped with the essential hardware for “full self-driving.” Imagine catching some Zs during your drive to work, or letting your car take the wheel on a cross-country adventure—Musk’s vision held nothing back.
While Tesla has delivered advanced driver assistance features like Autopilot and the Full Self Driving (FSD) beta system, the promise of true driverless capability remains unfulfilled. Hundreds of fully autonomous vehicles now operate in multiple U.S. cities, but none bear the Tesla logo.
In the latest episode of “Land of the Giants: The Tesla Shock Wave”, automotive journalists investigate what went wrong with Tesla’s autonomous ambitions. Musk’s repeated forecasts that driverless Teslas were just “a year away” have become part of the company’s folklore.
Supporters argue products like Autopilot show Tesla remains ahead of rivals in enabling the shift from human-driven to AI-powered vehicles. However, Autopilot’s involvement in hundreds of crashes and dozens of deaths is concerning. Multiple regulators now scrutinize Tesla’s self-driving claims.
When reporters test-drove the FSD beta for themselves, they uncovered bugs and limitations. Experts feel Tesla’s hardware may not support full autonomy without a redesign. Even Musk’s robot prototype showed flaws in executing tasks as simple as fetching coffee.
A former Tesla engineer who posted videos exposing Autopilot flaws was fired. Competitors like GM’s Cruise network are unconvinced Tesla can meet Musk’s bold goals without changing course. As one CEO said, you can enjoy a fun Tesla drive today – but it won’t drive you door-to-door without a person in control.
After so many years and missed deadlines, has Tesla overpromised on self-piloting vehicles?
